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Trim The Budget

Posted by Admin on January 23rd, 2009 filed in Uncategorized

Most of us are looking for ways to cut out unnecessary expenses these days. It doesn’t have to be hugely painful to trim your budget. It doesn’t have to involve big sacrifices and giving up everything you love. It does involve taking the time and making the effort to look hard, though. It also takes being willing to examine and perhaps rethink just about every expenditure from the big ones all the way down to the smallest ones. This is the way change is made.

  1. Look at the biggest expenses first.  Housing, transportation, food, insurance, health care and clothing are the biggies.  Consider refinancing, raise insurance deductibles, and even perhaps challenge your property tax assessment.
  2. Cut the premium TV services.
  3. Cut phone service extras like call waiting, etc.
  4. Cancel landlines and go completely cellular
  5. Look into a bundled service (phone, high-speed Internet and cable television) to see if it’s less expensive.
  6. Wash only full loads of clothes and dishes
  7. Use a clothesline whenever possible
  8. Install a programmable thermostat
  9. Don’t overheat or overcool the house
  10. Use compact-fluorescent bulbs and turn lights off when not being used
  11. Cancel collision and comprehensive insurance on cars older than five years
  12. Bike or walk as often as possible
  13. Consider carpools if you commute
  14. Maintain vehicles properly to reduce expenses
  15. Group your errands
  16. Bring lunches and snacks to work
  17. Cook once, eat twice -this means double your recipes and freeze half
  18. Eat meatless at least once a week
  19. Stop buying overpackaged  and overprocessed foods
  20. Buy fruits and vegetables in season
  21. Use leftovers before they spoil
  22. Use weekly coupons
  23. Stop dry cleaning clothing
  24. Stick to classic clothing styles
  25. Drop the health club membership and exercise for free (walking, running, videos)
  26. Do a clothing swap with friends
  27. Shop thrift stores
  28. Start paying only cash
  29. Start a spending diary
  30. Cook more simply – avoid fancy ingredients
  31. Buy in bulk
  32. Cut back on subscriptions
  33. Make yourself “sleep on” a purchase before you make it
  34. Pay bills on time
  35. Pay bills online
  36. Learn to cut hair
  37. Stop buying brand names
  38. Grow a garden
  39. Use the library
  40. Make gifts instead of buying

And that was pretty much right off the top of my head!  This is only the beginning.  Please share your favorites!

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